Boss of Peterborough retailer Yours Clothing makes 'no price rises' promise as sales soar

A leading fashion retailer in Peterborough is looking to help ease the cost of living crisis by issuing a ‘no price rise’ vow.

Andrew Killingsworth, owner of AK Retail, which operates under the brands, Yours Clothing, BadRhino, Long Tall Sally and the new PixieGirl, says the price of clothes in his shops will not increase during the autumn and winter.

His pledge will be welcomed by many shoppers left counting the pennies as the inflation surges to a 40 year high of 9.1 per cent and with the cost of energy and fuel spiralling.

Mr Killingsworth said the company, which is looking at new expansion into Europe and America, would find a way to absorb price rises in raw materials and transport.

He said: “We have had some very big rises but we are very fortunate that our sales growth has been able to deal with those.”

He said that across the business the consumption of all cloth had reduced and that meant the company was able to hold prices.

“So we are really going out now saying we are not putting prices up.

“It’ll have to hit us but we are going to stick to the price.

“This will continue over this winter into the next summer

“We are in a good strong position to be able to hold - it’ll wound us but it won’t damage us.”

The entrepreneur’s pledge came as he released new figures that show sales are soaring across all the brands at at AK Retail.

Over the financial year 2021/22 sales were up 72 per cent and gross profit up 81 per cent.

This year sales are up 56 per cent and gross profit is up 60 per cent but with the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions, full rates being charged on shops

BadRhino sales are up 77 per cent and up 80 per cent for Long Tall Sally while the newly launched PixieGirl is also doing very well

Mr Killingsworth said: “We are absolutely delighted, thrillled and grateful for our sales.”

In fact, so many orders are coming through that the company is battling to create enough room to handle all its orders.

The plus sized retailer, which has just bought outright a 128,567 square feet warehouse adjacent to its existing home in Bakewell Road, Orton Southgate, is already looking at ways it can create even more space to cater for the growing demand, most of which is coming from online sales.

Mr Killingsworth said: “Our stores’ sales are roughly back to 2019 - pre-pandemic – levels but they are not growing but online is growing like crazy because more people are adopting a faster, quicker internet although people still like to go into a shop to touch the clothes and speak to staff.

And the type of garments that are selling well show that after years without a holiday or chance to go out, customers are grabbing their post-Covid freedoms.

Mr Killingsworth said: “Bright colours are a favourite. Dresses are still on trend and summer clothing. This year it is around swimwear – a lot of people are going on holiday – and occasion wear and heels as people go to weddings, the Races, birthdays, anniversaries.”